


In care for

by Legionnaire24601



Category: Trollhunters (Cartoon)
Genre: Angst, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-25
Updated: 2018-01-25
Packaged: 2019-03-09 03:29:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 698
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13472775
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Legionnaire24601/pseuds/Legionnaire24601
Summary: Since his return he's been avoiding her





	In care for

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by the Stricklake week thing on Tumblr.

They'd been fighting off the Gumm-Gumms and their leader for weeks. In all that time she's attended everyone but him, and she has to wonder if he's been volunteering to go on extra patrols just to avoid seeing her.  But a person can go without rest and medical attention for only so long, even a person that's apparently, half troll. Walter was overworking himself and it was starting to show. He's paler than usual when Nomura literally drags him in, pointedly ignoring his attempts to persuade her to let him go.

“I'm fine.” He tries to snarl but it comes out more like a rasp. 

Nomura ignores him, plops him on the table, salutes Barbara and leaves slamming the door shut. They turn to look at each other at the same time. Blue eyes meet green and If it was even possible his face went paler than before. 

“It'll just be a check up.” Barbara states simply hoping that maybe the words will put him at ease. It has the opposite effect. He tenses on the table, looks at everything in the room but her. 

“I'm fine.” 

“You look exhausted.”

“I'm fine.” He repeats to the wall.  
Barbara is already fumbling for a stethoscope from the box of old medical supplies Jim had scavenged for her. “I'm going to check your heart rate.” 

“That's not necessary,” Walter sighs and moves off the desk in an attempt to put some distance between them.

“Hold still.” She snaps and to her surprise he does, but not without giving her excuses as to why she ‘needn't bother.’ Ignoring his protests she places the scope against his chest, just above his heart and listens. Nothing. She hears nothing. Pulling away from him Barbara turned the stethoscope in her hands for inspection.

“Hmmm, must be broken,” Barbara murmurs.

“You can hear that?”  He says so quietly, so heartbreakingly soft, that for the moment  she's almost convinced she imagined it. 

She turns to look up at him questionably to ask him what he meant but the words die in her throat. Because for the first time since his return he's meeting her gaze straight on. And she's lost in those lovely Forest green eyes. They’re sadder than she remembers, more tired.  It hits her then. They're not the same, he's not the same. 

“Walter...”

“I have to go.” He interrupts, moving away from her as though burned. And it shouldn't hurt as much as it did, she hardly knows him. 

“I'm sorry.” Walter mumbles apologetically. He stops at the doorway, his head bowed. His hand is on the wooden door frame and if the tenseness of shoulders wasn't an indicator of his stress, the whiteness of his knuckles certainly did. He turns to glance at her. Barbara can only look at him worried and a bit hurt. He winces.

“Barbara, I…” he pauses. And there.  
The words, their inflection, hit something in the furthest corner of her mind and a memory snaps into place. Pain like she's never felt before traveling from her neck throughout her entire body. A spell, a bond, a terrible realisation that she'd been used. 

Don't talk to me… 

A vice grips her heart so tightly she almost forgets to breathe. Those green eyes narrow with worry and he steps forward, a question on his lips. Barbara flinched and staggered back. Putting as much space between the two of them as her makeshift medical space would allow.  
Walter stopped immediately, and he must have realized, must have put two and two together, because he looks as guilt ridden as he did that awful night. He backs away and fumbles for the doorknob. 

“I’m sorry,” he breathes.  
She can only stare at him through unshed tears. 

“I'm so sorry.”  
The door opens.  
The memories are coming faster and faster. She buries her head in her hands and takes deep shuddering breaths, half expecting the door to slam as he leaves. Instead its barely audible when it clicks shut. His arms wrap around her gently. Light enough that she can push him away if she wanted to.  
She wants to.  
She should.  
She doesn't.  
They stay like that for the longest time.


End file.
